The NFL does not seem to be to concerned with the decline in TV ratings that has taken place recently. Upon a deeper look into the reasons why is there such a drastic decline in numbers however shows they may be making a big mistake. This looks to be a much deeper issue than the NFL owners are willing to admit too.
Time has not been kind to the most popular U.S. sport recently. To understand the situation is to look at the overall numbers to provide a accurate description of what is happening. Sunday Night Football is the most watched show on TV right now. In fact, 17 of the top 20 shows in the country are football games. The TV rights to the NFL are the most expensive rights to any american entertainment property. So why the decline?
The timing of Junior Seau and Mike Webster deaths from CTE has rocked both coasts. It's trickle down effect now travels from the NFL to the youngest signups for Pop Warner football in the midwest. The decline has gone on for too long and it's declining amount of new signups to much to dismay as more this just a snap shot in time.
There are multiple reasons why this decline is spreading across the country. The CTE cases that have been brought forward has affected parents in letting their kid play the sport.
The relocation of 3 teams in 2 years has negatively affected how many view the business side of the sport. Demands for billionaires to threaten tax payers with a subsidy that rarely profits the city that gives in to the NFL demands.
The star players that have suffered season ending injuries have affected the quality of the games on TV.
With games on 4 nights a week sometimes 5 you have to wonder if the NFL saturated its consumers.
The Owners have become so self absorbed they can no longer relate to the average NFL fan.
The Owners and Players are on path for a "NO DOUBT" lockout in 2021. This as the two parties the owners and players fight over revenue sharing, amount of preseason games and many other issues that have not been addressed. The Players Union has already geared itself for a prolonged lockout in taking out a 44 million dollar loan ($200,000 each player) who was told to hold onto your money there will be no caving in to the owners this time.
The latter was the reason baseball decline was so drastic and the backlash lasted for so long. It took baseball to 1998 to recover from the 1994-1995 work stoppage.
Before we go out and start a Go Fund Me account for the 32 owners. CBS and Comcast struck a deal with the NFL with Fox to pay 27 billion to the NFL until 2022 for their right. ESPN paid 1.9 billion for MNF and NBC and signed a 900 million dollar agreement to show TNF back in 2016.
The NFL last showed downplayed the rating declines on the presidential election. However, the ratings keep declining and even worse for the NFL was that in 2016 America was a divided country. The kneeling during the national anthem got the NFL stuck into the division of politics.
Now, rumors that Vince McMahon may bring back the XFL has surfaced. Should the NFL be worried this time? Let's review the facts as they are and decide.
The SuperBowl is still the most watched show of the year. Thanksgiving means turkey and football right? Not so fast there compadre. All 3 games were down from just a year ago. Combine the three games its a -19% decline. Vikings-Lions were down -10%, Giants-Skins were down -19% and the Chargers-Cowboys were down -25%. An estimated 35.1 million people watched the Cowboys and Chargers game. In San Diego it pulled a 17% rating.
Sunday Night Football Ravens-Steelers were watched by 17.2 million. But even that was a decline by -35% over the Giants-Dallas in the same week from 2016. In week 3 between the Dolphins and Chargers posted the worst ratings in San Diego for a Charger game since 1998. Between 1999 and 2016 the Chargers never went under 20% in the Nielsen rating.
Monday Night Football is averaging 17.6 million a week a decline of 38%.
Pop Warner decline has made its effect all the way to high schools. Pop Warner has declined 23,612. Indiana football lost almost 10,000 kids in signups over the last 4 years. The DR portrayed by Will Smith in the motion picture Concussion said to sign your child up for football is equal to child abuse.
Junior Seau and Mike Webster deaths scared fathers and mothers across the country; That is nothing but a sample of what is wrong. With the impending lockout in 2021 and the collective recipe of a collective amount off
NFL owners don't react quickly. They are a cocky tiny group. Jerry Richardson owner of the Carolina Panthers is being forced to sell the team because of unwanted sexual advances.
LOOMING IN 2021: The war for revenue sharing, preseason games, player discipline explodes as the CBA expires. The NFL can not afford another major lockout. The Players union over the summer took out a 44 million dollar loan giving each player $200,000 with a warning! Save your money this could be a season long work stoppage. Both sides know what the backlash could be. Both sides are unwaved as the goals are bigger than a football season. There own greed might have caught up to them if this happens and anyone in the know will tell you. It will happen.
Maybe the owners will start kneeling in 2021. Kneeling to the masses who found something better to do on Sundays.
Nielsen Ratings: One rating point in San Diego 28th ranked tv market equals 10,657 homes. 1 point in LA 2nd ranked TV market equals 54,768 homes.
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